Borneol, a bicyclic monoterpene, can easily cross the blood brain barrier and was found to possess gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) modulatory effect. The present study was aimed at investigating the antiepileptogenic effect of borneol in the pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced kindling besides its ability to suppress oxidative stress and neuroinflammatory marker, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Repeated administration of a subconvulsive dose of PTZ (35 mg/kg, i.p.) on every alternate day for 4 weeks produced kindling in mice. Borneol (5, 10, and 25 mg/kg, i.p.) and diazepam (1 mg/kg, i.p.) were given as a pretreatment prior to each PTZ injection during the progression of kindling. Oxidative stress parameters such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), and lipid peroxidation (LPO) were assessed at the end of the study. Neuronal damage was assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining technique. GFAP was also evaluated in the hippocampus region of the brain by using immunohistochemistry. Borneol significantly suppressed the process of epileptogenesis in PTZ-kindled mice. The biochemical alterations induced by PTZ kindling were ameliorated in borneol-treated animals which was indicated by decreased LPO and increased SOD, GSH, CAT levels. The distinct neuronal damage observed in the kindled group was counteracted by borneol. Furthermore, it decreased the levels of GFAP which was manifested by reduced immunostaining. The above results are suggestive of the antiepileptogenic potential of borneol in the PTZ-induced kindling model of epilepsy, and thus, it could be a prospective molecule in the treatment of epilepsy.
Keywords: Borneol; Glial fibrillary acidic protein; Kindling; Oxidative Stress; Pentylenetetrazole.